Trekking is a unique sport, both thrilling and challenging. Climbing up to a peak of 5560 mts from 3450 mts through scenic mountainous ranges is a really thrilling experience. It is also a challenging one, as it requires tons of physical stamina and mental strength. Trekking tests the physical ability, endurance, mental and psychological capacity of the participants. A group of ten adventure-loving people from Visakhapatnam, under the leadership of Dr. Suman Kalagara, recently went on a trekking expedition for 18 days.

Commencing on October 12 from Kathmandu, the trip culminated on October 29 at Lukla, also in Kathmandu. After a leisurely walk on the first day, the actual journey started the next day. Like sea sickness, trekkers would be prone to acute mountain sickness like severe head ache, nausea, fatigue etc.

So the team members got themselves acclimatized at Namche Bazaar on the fourth day. This helped us to get used to higher and higher altitudes. Luckily, none of us faced the problem of trekking sickness. As we continued our trekking journey, we had fascinating views of the great peaks of the Khumbu viz Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse and Ama Dablam. After crossing several villages, we crossed the Dudh Kosi River, made a steep climb to Tengboche monastery, which is the spiritual centre of Khumbu and a training centre for monks. The spiritual ambience and the fabulous scenic value of the monastery are some things that we will treasure for a very long time.

After a day of rest on the ninth day of the journey, we resumed our expedition. The journey from Lobuche to Gorak Shep to EBC (Everest Base Camp) and back to Gorak Shep at (5360 mts) was something special. At this point, one stands face to face with the world’s highest mountain viz Everest at 8850 mts. From this point, we had to negotiate glaciers and do a lot of hard walking over boulders and scree slopes.

Trekking from Gorak Shep to Kala Pattas (5560 mts) was an important land mark in our journey. From this high point, a magnificent 360 degree view unfolds with all the major peaks of the region visible. It was vantage point, providing fantastic views of major and majestic peaks. On our journey, we met Sherpas –Himalayan people reputed for mountaineering and known for their climbing skills—and other rustic people.

After all these unforgettable experiences, we came back to Lukla on October 28 and from there, visited native places full of thrill-filled satisfaction. We interacted with a lot of people during our trekking expedition, respected their culture and traditions and used local products and facilities during our entire journey.

The trekking expedition was organized by Aquaterra Adventures, a Delhi-based Tour Company in coordination with the Nepal Tourism Board.

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